- 177 - 4. 2 Priest Vianey3 of Ars and the world of spirit Johannes Baptista Maria Vianey lived from 1786 to 18409; hence a considerable part of his life falls within the lifetime of the clergyman Blumhardt. While Blumhardt was unfolding his psychic gifts in the German parish of Möttlingen, Vianey lived and laboured in the tiny community of Ars in France. Because of his limited talents, it had cost Vianey great efforts to qualify for the priesthood. From childhood on he had devoted much time daily to meditation and prayer. This inner concentration, which he continued to practice all his life, as did Blumhardt, brought about the development of his mediumistic gifts, the prerequisite for the influence exercised on people by the spirit world. The same was true of Blumhardt. While the Protestant minister first witnessed the demonic manifestations through the medium Gottliebin Dittus of his parish, and did not experience the influences of both the evil and the good spirit worlds upon his own person until later, the curate of Ars was the only one through whom the spirits manifested themselves. No such effects were observed in any people in his parish or vicinity. In other respects, the experiences of both were the same. • Blumhardt and Vianey witnessed similar activities of the demons; they also witnessed similar activities of the good spirits. • Both received a very powerful spirit of healing. • Both had the gift of clairvoyance as regarded past, present, and future events. • Both were able to perceive the inmost condition of people by clairvoyance. • The parishes of both pastors were miraculously blessed with the missionary spirit, and this gradually spread to far distant districts. • Both became the goal of pilgrimages made by thousands of people tortured by the consciousness of a sinful life, who went to confess their transgressions and to receive assurance of God’s forgiveness. Both knew by inner inspiration to whom such assurance could be given. The coincidence in all these matters for these two men extends to the smallest details, enabling us to discover therein the workings of Divine law. Also, the laws according to which the demons communicated were the same in both cases. Let us now allow the facts from Vianey’s life to speak for themselves, beginning with the demonic phenomena that occurred with him. In his biography, the part dealing with the demonic influences is introduced with the following words: “Let me first say a word here for the benefit of those who feel tempted to have doubts on this score, or to smile as they read the following pages. They will not be the first to do so. In fact, they will not form or express a single opinion on the subject that was not formed or expressed by the world during Vianey’s lifetime, and which the clergy of his day expressed even more forcibly than did the laity. Scarcely had the rumour begun to spread that the curate of Ars was being persecuted by devils, when loud laughter burst forth from all the parsonages of the surrounding area. Forthwith all of his “dear” colleagues explained to the curate of Ars that he was a great dreamer and that his brain was ill; that the [cave] out of which his demons came was nothing other than the stew-pot in which he allowed his potatoes to grow mouldy. ‘My dear colleague,’ they used to tell him, ‘live like everyone else. Eat more nutritious foods. Then your brain will get well and you will see nothing more of 9 Joseph Vianey: Leben und Wirken des hl. Johannes [Maria] Vianney, Pfarrer von Ars. 1930. Published by Gebr. Steffen, Limburg a.d. Lahn. [Engl. translation: The Blessed John Vianney, curé d'Ars, patron of parish priests. Transl. by C..W.W.
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